Description
Mele, by Kalehua Kim, embodies the meaning of the word "mele" - a Hawaiian song or chant traditionally used to preserve history through the oral tradition. Winner of the Trio House Press Editor's Choice Prize, Kim's debut collection evokes modes of language and culture that shape the contours of memory and expose the fault lines of family and self, as well as the grace and generosity of healing, acknowledgement, and commemoration. The poems reflect on what we inherit and how who we become is intertwined with who our parents were and are, and the pain of facing that reality: "One day your voice will become mine, Ka leo o maua/Though I am not prepared for your end..." With this mele, Kim honors the memory of a lost mother, as well as the struggles of a daughter as she becomes a wife and mother herself, while honoring her roots and forging a new path.
Author: Kalehua Kim
Publisher: Trio House Press
Published: 07/01/2025
Pages: 100
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.35lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.24d
ISBN13: 9781949487367
ISBN10: 1949487369
BISAC Categories:
- Poetry | Native American
- Poetry | Women Authors
- Poetry | American | Asian American & Pacific Islander